The new module will be of interest to those developing and administering national surveys, commissioners of research, academics, and local authority commissioners and performance managers seeking to design surveys.

The questions can be used in economic evaluations and are suitable for longitudinal or cross-sectional population surveys that cover community-based care. The Health Survey for England is including the module in 2011.

The module of questions cover:

Respondent's ability to carry out activities of daily living.

Respondent's need for and use of:

Formal community-based social care services.

Informal care by relatives and friends.

How often and how regularly social care services are used.

How respondents pay for social care services including:

Direct payments and personal budgets for care.

User contributions and/or charges for social care services.

Privately-purchased care.

Use of community equipment, 'meals on wheels' and day care.

Respondent's involvement in providing care to others.

You can download the new question module and an accompanying development report from the NatCen website.